Thurley’s 103 steers Bucks to away day victory at Acle

CENTURY MAN: Robert Thurley scored 103 runs for Old Buckenham during Saturdays 36-run win away at Acle in the Cecil Amey Opticians Norfolk Alliance Premier Division. Thurley scored nine fours and one six in the innings

Published:13:40Friday 16 June 2017

CECIL AMEY OPTICIANS NORFOLK ALLIANCE

PREMIER DIVISION

Acle (169) lost to

Old Buckenham (205-9)

by 36 runs

A Robert Thurley century helped Old Buckenham get back to winning ways with a 36-run victory away at Acle on Saturday.

Bucks travelled to Acle at the weekend looking to atone for their poor batting display against Horsford II the week before.

Terry Perry won the toss and quickly elected to bat first on a surface that looked like it would deteriorate throughout the day.

Bucks skipper Perry and Matthew Bint opened the batting and both found the boundary early on, before Bint was on the receiving end of a brilliant ball from Jaskaran Cheema and the youngster was first to depart.

This brought Thurley to the crease, who found his feet quickly to help up the scoring rate, while Perry ticked along at the other end.

The introduction of Alex Quinton spelt the end of Perry’s innings, as the experienced batsman smashed a full toss straight at mid-wicket.

Thurley was joined at the crease by big hitter Nicholas Pentz, who punished all four spinners when they strayed on their length.

The pair added some quick runs as Thurley passed the 50 mark.

But just as the visitors were getting themselves into a commanding position, a short ball from Joseph Flatt, which looked like it was flying for another maximum, was caught at deep mid wicket to end Pentz’s innings.

Thurley was able to keep the score ticking over, finding the boundary regularly as wickets fell at the other end.

The all-rounder brought up his hundred with three overs to go as Bucks advanced to 200, however Thurley’s wicket, and a cluster of others, nearly derailed their charge.

But a quickfire 18 from vice-captain Andrew Lawrence dragged Bucks to 205-9 from their allotted overs.

The visitors felt this was 30 runs above par on a difficult pitch, but knew they would need to bowl well against an Acle side that use their home advantage well when batting.